Netherlands cleared over claim they 'bullied' Gruijters out of World T20

The Netherlands have been cleared of wrongdoing by the International Cricket Council over accusations from their young all-rounder Tim Gruijters that he was "forced and bullied" out of their World Twenty20 squad to make way for Tom Cooper, an Australian all-rounder.

Gruijters, a 22-year-old from The Hague who has made 13 international appearances, claims that the Dutch team suddenly became much more concerned about his longstanding back condition when Cooper, whose mother is from Dutch New Guinea, became available for the tournament when his Australian State team failed to qualify for the Sheffield Shield final."The Dutch coaching staff decided to bend the rules ... and basically cheat," Gruijters said. The Netherlands dispute the claims.

"They told me that I would have been in the 1st XI had Tom Cooper not been available. 'We need someone to be injured,' they said. 'We need you to have a scan so that we can get the ICC's approval.'

"I was forced and bullied into having the scan. The scan showed I have a bad back – no surprise there, I've had a bad back for years.

"It is a fact that I would never have been forced to go for a scan had Tom Cooper not been available. I have an injury, but it would not have stopped me playing.

"It's clear that the Dutch coaching staff decided to misuse the rules, hoodwink the ICC, and get Tom Cooper in for me. It's a disgrace, it's a cheat, and I would like to state that I do not want to be part of it."

The ICC, the tournament organisers, have effectively taken the side of the management against Gruitjers. Geoff Allardice, the chairman of the event technical committee, said: "There is a procedure in place for teams to replace injured players with substitutes who are eligible and available.

"The KNCB followed that procedure by obtaining independent medical advice confirming an injury to Tim Gruitjers before requesting a replacement player. We are satisfied that the KNCB acted within the ICC's tournament rules during this process."

The Netherlands, who are in the same qualifying group as Ireland, had earlier issued a statement.

"The account of Tim Gruijters himself regarding the course of events differs from the account of the team management in Bangladesh," it said.

"Those present there are coach Anton Roux, KNCB technical director Roland Lefebvre, physiotherapist Jan Stappenbelt and team manager Ed van Nierop. The KNCB Board has as a result of the current controversy initiated an investigation and shall take evidence from all the relevant parties in order to gain understanding of the course of events."

Cooper, 27, was born in Wollongong and has played for both Australia Under-19s and Australia A, but has been a regular for the Netherlands in one-day and T20 cricket since 2010, following a similar path to the veteran seamer Dirk Nannes.

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